A volumetric display is a display device that generates a visual representation of a person, place, or object in three-dimensional (“3D”) space. This is in contrast to traditional two-dimensional (“2D”) display panels that generate images on a 2D plane, but provide a perception of depth using visual effects such as motion parallax, perspective, interposition, defocus blur, etc. While 2D display panels use “pixels” to reference each 2D picture element within the 2D image, a volumetric display uses “voxels,” to reference each 3D picture element within the 3D representation. A voxel is a discrete volume having a well-defined coordinate in physical space. The coordinate space may be represented using Cartesian coordinates (e.g., x, y, z), polar coordinates (e.g., r, φ, θ), or otherwise. Volumetric displays generate 3D images via the emission, scattering, or relaying of illumination from the 3D coordinate space.
While 3D displays have long since been postulated in science fiction, volumetric displays are being realized today. One class of conventional volumetric displays is a Swept-volume display, which rapidly displays a series of slices of a 3D object and relies on the slow response time of human vision to blend the individual slices into a complete image, akin to a 3D raster scan. Another class of conventional volumetric displays is a static volume display, which uses an addressable volume of voxels that are transparent in an off state, but luminous in an activated state.
Volumetric displays have numerous practical and leisure applications that can leverage their 3D nature to provide benefits over 2D displays. There is certain to be new found practical and leisure applications as the technology evolves. Volumetric displays are likely to have broader adoption with time.